Method of making shoes



1939- ,F. N. LA CHAPELLE 2,

'METHOD OF MAKING SHOES Filed Dec. 28, 1956 Patented Jan. 3, 1939 PATENT FFECE METHOD OF MAKING SHOES Fred N. La Chapelle, Beverly, Mass., assignor to United Shoe Machinery Corporation, Paterson, N. J., a corporation of New Jersey Application December 28, 1936 Serial No. 117,735

14 Claims.

This invention relates to methods of making shoes and more particularly to the lasting of an upper over an insole or other shoe bottom part to which the upper is permanently secured, the term insole being used herein as generally applicable to any such part. The invention is herein illustrated in its application to the toe lasting operation. although it will be understood that the invention is not limited to that particular part of shoe manufacture.

In lasting the toes of some kinds of shoes, it is desirable that the upper materials be conformed tightly to the contour of the toe end of the last and their marginal portions laid inwardly over the bottom of the insole in such manner as to produce a sharply defined crease in the upper materials around the toe end to insure that the outsole will lie close to the upper in the finished shoe. This crease is formed by bending the upper materials over the corner of the edge face of the insole and wiping their marginal portions flat on the bottom face of the insole. In lasting the toe by the use of toe-embracing wipers of a bed lasting machine, for example, the wipers are advanced and closed about the toe end of the shoe in a location below the bottom face of the insole and are then raise-d to wipe the upper materials heightwise of the last substantially to the plane of the bottom face of the insole, after which the wipers are further advanced and closed to wipe the marginal portions of the upper materials inwardly over the insole. As the wipers are thus moved inward relatively to the shoe it has been found that there is sometimes a tendency for the insole, particularly if it is of thin or very flexible material, to become distorted or displaced rearwardly of the toe end of the last bythe pressure of the wipers on the upper. Any such distortion or displacement of the insole prevents the formation of a definite crease in the upper materials by reason of the fact that the upper materials are not supported by the insole around the extreme end of the toe of the last. This may produce an objectionable gap between the upper a materials and the outsole in the finished shoe.

An object of the invention is to provide a method whereby during the lasting operation the insole is held in predetermined relation to the last against any distortion or inward displace- 0 ment by the pressure of the wipers on the upper.

As herein disclosed, the novel method includes the seeming to the toe end of the insole of a reinforoing strip shaped to engage the edge face of the insole and the end and side faces of the a toe end of the last upon which the insole is to be mounted. As herein further illustrated, the upper materials are pulled tightly over the toe end of the last and thereafter they are wiped heightwise of the last and the marginal portion of the upper wiped inwardly over the insole by the use of toe embracing wipers, the reinforcing strip serving effectively to prevent any distortion of the margin of the insole or any displacement of the insole rearwardly of the toe end of the last during the upwiping and overwiping movements of the wipers. The reinforcing strip has an inwardly extending flange which is arranged to overlie the marginal portionof the insole over which the upper materials are to be lasted, and this flange is preferably cemented to the margin of the insole. As herein illustrated also, the improved method includes the fastening of the upper materials in lasted relation to the insole by securing them adhesively to the reinforcing strip.

While the method may be practiced by the use of a reinforcing strip of sheet material of various kinds and compositions, it is contemplated that for best results the reinforcing strip may be made of Celluloid, or any cellulose derivative composition, shaped to the desired contour. In accordance with the procedure herein illustrated, there is introduce-d between the upper and the lining of the shoe materials a toe stiifener of material which is adapted to act as cement when subjected to the action of a solvent or softener, and the marginal portions of the stiffener and lining are trimmed back nearly to the edge of the shoe bottom preferably after the upper materials have been assembled on the last. After the trimming operation, as the upper materials are pulled tightly over the toe end of the last and are also wiped heightwise of the last and inwardly over the insole the cement of the stiffener is forced through the lining and on to the reinforcing strip of Celluloid, thereby securing the lining not only to the stiffener but also to the reinforcing strip. Before the marginal portion of the upper is wiped inwardly over the shoe bottom, or it may be after the marginal portion of the upper is wiped inwardly, in which case the wipers are retracted to release the marginal portion of the upper, a suitable solvent, for example, acetone, or pyroxylin cement, is applied either to the marginal portion of the upper or to the inwardly extending flange of the reinforcing strip, and the marginal portion of the upper is wipe-d inwardly over this fiange and pressed into position to adhere thereto by the toe embracing wipers.

In addition to its novel method aspects, the

invention further presents novelty in an insole having secured to the marginal portion of its toe end a reinforcing strip of sheet material shaped to conform substantially to the contour of the end and side faces of the toe end of the last upon which the insole is to be mounted. Not only does the reinforcing strip serve to position the insole accurately on the last, but it holds the insole against any distortion or rearward displacement as the upper materials are worked into lasted relation to the last around the toe end, thereby insuring that the upper materials around the extreme toe end of the shoe will be properly supported by the insole in close relation to the outsole in the finished shoe.

The novel method of the invention will now be more particularly described by reference to the accompanying drawing, which illustrates one manner in which the invention may be practiced, and will be pointed out in the claims.

In the drawing,

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of an insole with a reinforcing strip of sheet material secured to its toe end for purposes of this invention;

Fig. 2 is a vertical section of the forepart of a last with the insole shown in Fig. 1 mounted on the last;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the forepart of a shoe after the upper materials have been pulled tightly over the toe end of the last and secured at the toe end by pulling-over tacks;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the forepart of the shoe shown in Fig. 3 after the side lasting operation has been performed, illustrating the step of introducing either solvent or an adhesive between the marginal portion of the upper and the inwardly extending flange of the reinforcing strip while the upper materials are held tightly conformed to the toe end of a last by the toe embracing wipers of a bed lasting machine; and

Fig. 5 is a vertical section of the forepart of the shoe with the marginal portion of the upper around the toe end wiped inwardly over the bottom of the shoe and pressed into position to adhere to the inwardly extending flange of the reinforcing strip by the toe embracing wipers.

In practicing the method of the present invention, an insole Ill, preferably of leather, has secured to its toe end an angularly shaped reinforcing strip or toe piece I2 of sheet material provided with an inwardly extending flange I 4- and a peripheral flange I6 which has previously been shaped to the outline of the edge face of the insole I0 and to the contour of the end and side faces of the toe end of a last upon which the insole is to be mounted. As illustrated in Fig. 1 the inwardly extending flange I4, which is substantially U-shaped, overlies the marginal portion of the toe end of the insole over which the marginal portion of the upper is to be lasted and forms with the flange IS a sharply defined edge line IS. The toe piece which is preferably made of Celluloid or a cellulose derivative composition is approximately of an inch in thickness and has its downwardly extending flange portion I6 trimmed or skived off to provide a relatively sharp edge I8. The toe piece I2 may be activated by the application of a suitable solvent to the flange I4 to secure it to the margin of the insole or it may be secured to the insole by any suitable adhesive, such as Celluloid dissolved in acetone, with the edge face of the insole in engagement with the inner face of the flange I6. The insole is then mounted upon a last 20 with the flange portion I6 of the toe piece in engagement with the toe end of the last. This positions the insole properly at the toe end of the last.

The upper materials as illustrated comprise an outer layer 22 which may be of leather, a toe stiffener or box 24 and an inner layer or lining 26. Preferably the toe stiffener includes material which is normally hard but is capable of being softened to permit it to be shaped to the contour of the toe end of the last in the lasting operation, and which when softened will serve adhesively to secure the stiffener to the outer and inner layers of the upper materials as well as to impregnate the inner layer or lining so as to cause the lining to be secured adhesively to the toe piece I2. It has been found satisfactory to employ for this purpose a colloid treated fabric such as that disclosed in United States Letters Patent No. 1,256,240, granted February 12, 1918, upon an application of Stanley P. Lovell, and known commercially as Celastic. The toe stiffener having first been softened by dipping it in a suitable slovx drying solvent or softener is introduced between the upper 22 and the lining 26 and the upper materials are assembled on the last 20 in the usual manner. The marginal portions of the lining and the toe stiffener are then trimmed back nearly to the outer edge I9 of the toe piece I2, after which the upper materials are pulled over and temporarily fastened at the toe end in the customary manner by tacks 30. In the pulling over operation, as the upper materials are drawn tightly over the toe end of the last, the cement of the toe stiffener is forced by the pressure of the upper 22 against the stiffener through the lining 26 and deposited on the outer face of the flange I6 of the toe piece I2. Fig. 3 shows the toe end of the shoe after the upper materials have been assembled on the last and pulled over in the manner described. The upper may then be lasted along the sides of the shoe in any suitable well-known manner, the drawing showing a shoe the upper of which is fastened along the sides by staples 32 (Fig. 4) driven and anchored in the insole in the manner disclosed in Letters Patent No. 1,815,296, granted July 21, 1931, upon an application of George Goddu.

After the shoe has been lasted along the sides the toe lasting operation is performed. In this operation, it is customary to use the endembracing wipers of a toe lasting machine to work the upper materials into lasted relation to the insole. While this operation may be performed by the use of the wipers of a toe lasting machine of any well-known type, it is contemplated that a machine of the type, for example, disclosed in United States Letters Patent No. 1,018,477, granted Feb. 27, 1912, upon an application of Matthias Brock, may be used for this purpose. In the use of a machine of this type the toe wipers 34 (Figs. 4 and 5) are first closed about the toe end of the shoe with their wiping edges in engagement with the upper materials in a location below the bottom face of the last, after which the wipers are raised to wipe the upper materials heightwise of the last toward its bottom face. When the wipers have been raised substantially to the plane ofv the upper face of the flange I4 of the toe piece I2 they are advanced and closed to wipe the marginal portion of the upper inwardly over this face. It will be understood that the upwiping and overwiping movements of the wipers may be repeated a plurality of times and that during their overwiping movements the pressure of the wipers on the upper may be increased to flatten the upper materials on the flange I 4 and to form a definite crease in the upper materials where they are bent inwardly over the edge IQ of the toe piece opposite to the upper corner of the edge face of the insole l0. After the upper materials have been wiped heightwise of the last and while they are held conformed tightly to the contour of the toe end by the end-embracing wipers 34, a suitable solvent, such as acetone, or a pyroxylin cement is applied either to the marginal portion of the upper or to the inwardly extending flange M of. the toe piece l2, after which the wipers 34 are advanced and closed to wipe the marginal portion of the upper inwardly over the flange l4. If preferred, the wipers 34 may be advanced and closed to wipe the marginal portion of the upper inwardly over the flange l4 before the solvent or adhesive is introduced between the upper and the flange and the wipers then retracted substantially to the edge of the shoe bottom to release the margin of the upper for the introduction of the solvent or cement. If the wipers are thus retracted they are again advanced and closed to wipe the marginal portion of the upper 22 inwardly over the flange and to press it into position to adhere to the flange. The wipers preferably remain in closed position over the toe end of the shoe at the end of the overwiping op eration until the cement has set sufficiently to hold the upper in lasted position or, if the solvent is used, until the flange M of the Celluloid strip, which has been softened by the solvent, has set. It will be evident that as the upper materials around the toe end are worked into lasted position in the manner above described, the edge portion of the insole is supported by the toe piece l2 so that there will be no distortion of the insole by the pressure of the wipers on the upper materials opposite the edge face of the insole in the upwiping operation or any rearward or in ward displacement of the insole by the pressure of the Wipers on the upper in the overwiping operation. It will also be evident that in the up- Wiping and overwiping operations the pressure of the wipers 34 on the upper materials will tend to force the cement of the stiffener 24 through the lining 25 and on to the flange l6 of the toe piece I2 and also on to that portion of the flange M of the toe piece over which the trimmed marginal portions of the stiffener and lining are wiped in the overwiping operation, thereby further insuring that the lining will be secured adhesively to the toe piece l2 in the finished shoe.

A shoe in which there is incorporated an insole having secured to the marginal portion of its toe end a reinforcing strip of sheet material in accordance with the above-described method will have its upper materials supported by the insole around the extreme toe end of the shoe, thereby insuring that the outsole will lie close to the upper materials around the toe end in the finished shoe. It will be evident that the reinforcing strip or toe piece I2 may be applied to the insole without interfering with or retarding the steps customarily performed in the making of a shoe.

Having described the invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. That improvement in methods of making shoes which consists in providing an insole having secured thereto a reinforcing strip overlapping the edge face of the insole and the last adjacent to the insole to prevent inward displacement of the insole in the wiping operation, wiping the marginal portion of an upper inwardly over the insole, and securing the marginal portion of the upper in lasted relation to said insole.

2. That improvement in methods of making shoes which consists in providing an insole having secured to its toe end a reinforcing strip of sheet material shaped to engage the edge face of the insole and the end face of the last, thereafter mounting the insole on the last in the position determined by the engagement of said strip with the end face of the last, wiping an upper around the end of the last heightwise of the last and inwardly over the insole, and securing the upper in lasted relation to the insole.

3. That improvement in methods of making shoes which consists in providing an insole to which there is secured a reinforcing strip of sheet material provided with an inwardly extending flange overlying the margin of the insole over Which the upper is to be lasted and a flange extending heightwise of the shoe and shaped to engage the edge face of the insole and the last adjacent to the insole, mounting the insole on the last with said reinforcing strip in engagement with the last, wiping an upper heightwise of the last, introducing cement between the margin of the upper and the inwardly extending flange of said reinforcing strip, and then wiping the marginal portion of the upper over said inwardly extending flange and pressing the upper against said flange until the cement has set sufficiently to hold the upper in lasted position.

4. That improvement in methods of makin shoes which consists in providing an insole having secured to the margin of its end portion a reinforcing strip of sheet material provided with a peripheral flange shaped to engage the edge face of the insole and the end and side faces of the end portion of the last to prevent inward displacement of the insole in the wiping operation, wiping the marginal portion of an upper inwardlyover the insole, and securing the marginal portion of the upper to said reinforcing strip to hold the upper in lasted relation to said insole.

5. That improvement in methods of making shoes which consists in providing an insole having secured to the marginal portion of its toe end a reinforcing strip of sheet material provided with a peripheral flange shaped to engage the edge face of the insole and the toe end face of the last, mounting the insole on the last in the position determined by the engagement of said strip with the end face of the last, wiping an upper around the toe end heightwise of the last toward its bottom face and while holding the upper conformed tightly to the contour of the last introducing cement between the margin of the upper and said strip of sheet material, and then wiping the marginal portion of the upper inwardly over the reinforcing strip and pressing it into position to adhere thereto through the action of said cement.

6. That improvement in methods of lasting the toe ends of shoes which consists in providing an insole having secured to the marginal portion of its toe end a reinforcing strip of sheet material provided with a peripheral flange shaped toengage the edge face of the insole and the end and side faces of the toe end of a last to position the insole relatively to the last and to prevent distortion of the insole by the pressure of wipers on the upper in the wiping operation, wiping the upper around the toe end of the last by moving toe embracing wipers heightwise of the last and inwardly over the insole, thereafter releasing the marginal portion of the upper and introducing cement between the upper and said strip of sheet material, and then wiping the marginal por ion of the upper inwardly over the insole and applying pressure to said margin until the cement has set sufliciently to hold the upper in lasted position.

7. That improvement in methods of making shoes which consists in positioning on a last an insole having secured to marginal portions of its toe end over which the marginal portion of the upper is to be lasted a reinforcing strip of Celluloid provided with a flange extending heightwise of the shoe and shaped to engage the edge face of the insole and the toe end face of the last, wiping the upper heightwise of the last by the use of toe-embracing wipers, introducing a suitable solvent between the upper and said strip of Celluloid to soften the Celluloid, and then wiping the marginal portion of the upper inwardly over said strip of Celluloid and pressing it against said strip to cause it to adhere thereto.

8. That improvement in methods of making shoes which consists in providing an insole hav ing secured to its toe end a toe piece provided with an inwardly extending flange overlying the marginal portion of the insole over which the marginal portion of the upper is to be lasted and a flange extending heightwise of the last and shaped to engage the edge face of the insole and the end and side faces of the toe end of the last, thereafter mounting the insole on the last in the position determined by the engagement of said toe piece with the toe end of the last, assembling an upper on said last, wiping the upper around the toe end of the last heightwise of the last by the use of toe-embracing wipers and while holding the upper conformed tightly to the contour of the toe end of the last introducing cement between the upper and the inwardly extending flange of said toe piece, and then wiping the marginal portion of the upper inwardly over said flange and pressing it into position to adhere thereto.

9. That improvement in methods of making shoes which consists in providing an insole to the toe end of which there is secured a toe piece provided with an inwardly extending flange overlying the margin of the insole around the toe end and a peripheral flange shaped to engage the edge face of the insole and the end and side faces of the toe end of a last and positioning said insole on the last with the toe piece in engagement with the toe end of the last, assei'nhling an upper on said last, working the upper around the toe end heightwise of the last and wiping its marginal portion inwardly over the insole by the use of toe embracing wipers, retracting said wipers substantially to the edge of the shoe bottom, introducing cement between the upper and the inwardly extending flange of said toe piece, and then wiping the marginal portion of the upper again inwardly over the insole and pressing it into position to adhere to said flange until the cement has set sufficiently to hold the upper in lasted position.

10. That improvement in methods of making shoes which consists in mounting on a last an insole having secured to its toe end a strip of Celluloid provided with an inwardly extending flange overlying the margin of the insole over which the marginal portion of the upper is to be lastedand a flange extending heightwise of the last and shaped to engage the end and side faces of the toe end of the last, assembling upper materials on the last comprising an upper and a liningwith a toe stiffener of material adapted to act as cement when subjected to the action of a solvent between the upper and the lining, trimming back the marginal portion of the toe stiffener and the lining nearly to the edge of the shoe bottom, working the upper materials heightwise of the last by the use of toe-embracing wipers and by the pressure of said wipers on the upper materials causing the cement of the toe stiffener to be forced through the lining and on to said strip of Celluloid, introducing cement between the upper and the inwardly extending flange of said strip of Celluloid, and then wiping the marginal portion of the upper inwardly over said flange and pressing it into position to adhere thereto through. the action of said cement.

11. That improvement in methods of making shoes which consists in mounting on a last an insole having secured to its toe end a strip of Celluloid provided with an inwardly extending flange overlying the margin of the insole over which the marginal portion of the upper is to be lasted and a peripheral flange shaped to engage the edge face of the insole and the end and side faces of the toe end of the last, assembling upper materials on the last comprising an upper and a lining with a toe stiffener of material adapted to act as cement when subjected to the action of a solvent between the upper and the lining, trimming back the marginal portion of the toe stiffener and the lining nearly to the edge of the shoe bottom, working the upper materials heightwise of the last by the use of toeembracing wipers and by the pressure of said wipers on the upper causing the cement of the toe stiffener to be forced through the lining and on to said strip of Celluloid, introducing a suitable solvent between the upper and the inwardly extending flange of said strip of Celluloid to soften the Celluloid while holding the upper tightly conformed to the contour of the toe end of the last by said wipers, and then wiping the marginal portion of the upper inwardly over said flange and pressing it against the flange to cause the upper to adhere to the flange,

12. That improvement in methods of making shoes which consists in mounting on a last an insole having secured to the marginal portion of its toe end a strip of Celluloid shaped to conform to the outline of the toe end of the insole and having a peripheral flange for engaging the end and side faces of the toe end of the last, assembling upper materials on the last comprising an upper and a lining with a toe stiffener of material adapted to act as cement when subjected to the action of a solvent between the upper and the lining, trimming back the marginal portion of the toe stiffener and the lining substantially to the edge of the shoe bottom, tensioning the upper materials heightwise of the last to cause the cement of the toe stiffener to be forced through the lining and on to the peripheral flange of said strip of Celluloid, wiping the upper materials heightwise of the last and inwardly over the insole by the use of toe-embracing wipers, retracting the wipers substantially to the edge of the shoe bottom to release the marginal portion of the upper only, applying cement to that portion of the Celluloid strip over the margin of the insole, and then wiping the marginal portion of the upper again inwardly over the insole and pressing it against said Celluloid strip until the cement has set sufficiently to hold the upper in lasted position.

13. An insole having secured to the margin of the bottom face of its toe end portion a reinforcing strip of sheet material provided with a peripheral flange substantially perpendicular to the plane of the insole and shaped to engage and substantially to conform to the contour of the edge face of the insole and the end face of the toe end of a last to position the insole on the last prior to the lasting operation and to prevent inward displacement of the insole with respect to the last in that operation.

14. An insole having secured to its toe endan angularly shaped toe piece of sheet Celluloid provided with a substantially U-shapecl flange arranged to overlie the margin of the insole around the toe end and a flange shaped to engage the edge iace of the insole and the end and side faces of the toe end of a last.

FRED N. LA CHAPELLE. 

